Persistence...
by Angel of Hell 13
Summary: Chapters 5 & 6... Sark and Lily are enemies/allies This is a post-finale story... Jack and Will go to get Vaughn and Sydney, but Sydney isn't anywhere to be seen and Vaughn... well you know...
1. ... goes a long way.

A/N – I gave into the temptation of writing a post-season finale fic. Read, review and I do know that this story sucks. If you want to tell me otherwise, go right ahead.

**Jack's POV**

**                I watched Sark's man push Will in front of the car. As they drove away he moved closer to me… to close. He hugged me. I looked forward in shock. He sobbed a thank you to me and I put an uncomfortable hand on his back…**

                Ten Minutes Later:

                "Where are we going?" Will muttered as I climbed into the car. He was slowly and painfully getting on my nerves. God, he hugged me. The guy actually hugged me.

                "I haven't heard from Sydney… we're going to her." I turned the key and sped out of there. "She and Agent Vaughn should be in there right now. They should get out right after we get there." I added to him.

                "Agent Vaughn?" He coughed. I decided not to answer that.

                I just hoped both of them were alright.

                The car just wouldn't go fast enough. 

**Vaughn's POV**

                Focus. I thought to myself. Her eyes. Focus on them… not the water behind you.

                But I couldn't help it. I turned my head halfway and gulped as I watched the water make its way toward me. I had almost turned back completely when it hit me full force. My face connected with the door, and I felt a cut forming on my forehead.

                I looked back at Sydney, swimming and trying to hold on. Go. I mouthed to her. I kept saying it, momentarily opening my mouth, the water coming in. 

                Sydney didn't listen. She slammed a fire extinguisher against the door, but it didn't budge or even.  
                I felt the water pull me back and I struggled to hold onto something, but I couldn't and I left the door. Swimming, I got back to the door window, but all I saw was an empty hallway. She better have gotten out of there.

                I felt a bit of blood enter my mouth from the cut that was on my forehead. The air supply was shortening and I tried to swim away from the door, to wherever there might be another one. 

                I needed another chance… I needed to do everything that I should have before I got in this mess. I should have taken my niece Kali to that hockey game. I should've told my mom about dad's killer… and how I was head over heals in love with his daughter. I should've told Sydney.

                I was out of luck… and out of air.

                _'Who are you?' I ask the person in front of me. I've never seen him before._

_                'You don't know me?' The English accent was deep and crisp. I get a flash of one of my friends from high school. His own accent was English and he spoke clearly._

_                'No. I don't.' I answer back, scared of who he might be._

_                'You've heard about me though.' He smiled and walked forward a little, deciding whether to circle me, like cops trying to get answers, or not._

_                'If I don't know who you are, how do I know if I've heard of you?' I asked trying to recognize this person from any description that I've ever heard. My face curves into a realization when I get a flash of Danny in a bathtub, covered in blood… just the way __Sydney__ had described._

_                'Danny.'_

**Jack's POV**

**                I argued. "You are staying here." I ordered to Will.**

                But he got up and out of the car, stumbling every few feet, but actually making it.

                "Sit back down." He obeyed and sat on the seat of the car. "I'll be back." I jogged out of there, making sure he stayed where he was.

                I could hear a few guards saying something about 'water', 'gotta drain it', 'filled the whole God damned place'. I followed them to a door and practically gasped at the sight through the small window. The whole hallway was filled with water.

                "It's been barely two minutes. It just finished filling up." I translated one of them. Suddenly I dropped my cell phone from my pocket, making them turn their heads to me. Then I took a minute to knock the two guards to the ground.

                I made my way to the door, there was a small, wet, blood stain a few feet from it. Looking back at the small window on the door, I saw something go past it. "What the…" I pulled my gun from my pocket and pointed it at the window.

                It took three bullets to finally get through. Water poured into the hallway and I made my way away from it, ducking into a small room to the side. When the water stopped, it was up to my knees. I waded past it and up to the door. I shot it a few times and then tried to open it. It finally budged and that's when I saw Agent Vaughn, face up on the water.

                I bent and felt to see if he was breathing… nothing. I felt his pulse. It was small, but there. I needed to get him out of there.

                Picking him up, dragging him pretty much, I pushed though the water quickly. Stumbling with the weight a bit, I finally make it out the door and down the hall. I drop him carefully on the ground and lean over him. He's not breathing. Quickly I do the CPR stuff that I was required to learn. The second my hand touches his chest he starts to cough.

**Vaughn's POV**

**                _'Danny.' I whispered the answer softly. Thinking about __Sydney__ the whole time._**

_                'Yep.' His accent accelerated with his enthusiasm. He bowed his head an inch and then looked me straight in the eye. 'You look wet.' He smiled again._

_                I smiled, I couldn't help the action. 'That's what happens when you get hit full force with a wave of water.' My smile widened and I have no clue why._

_                'Are you dead?' Danny asked the question with amusement in his voice. Like death is a whole big joke. Of course, to a dead person it might be._

_                'You tell me… I might be.' I looked around. I can't describe the view that I got… the only thing was that it was gorgeous. I frowned._

_                'You're not…' He whispered and turned around. Started walking away too._

_                'Hey!' I yelled and ran forward. 'You gonna tell me what the hell you mean?'_

_                'You know what I mean! You have to do something for me though…' He told me. I nodded, waiting for him to tell me. He spun around, but kept walking backward. 'Tell her!'_

_                'Tell who what?' I shouted and he spun around and walked away._

_                'You know…' He yelled back and disappeared._

_                I made a move toward him, but I coughed and my chest heaved._

                 "What the hell happened?" I looked up and jumped a bit when I saw Jack staring down at me.

                I coughed again; it felt good to cough… it felt good to do anything. "Sydney… destroyed… Burst… water… I… trapped… weird dream." I got out the little words describing what happened.

                "Where is Sydney?" Jack helped me to stand up, leaving his arm under mine.

                "Don't know." I sputtered. Drops of water were running down my face and my jacket stuck to me.

                "What was the last time you saw her?" He was back to the serious Jack that we all know and… love.

                "She was banging the door with a fire extinguisher." I told him quickly, coughing and sputtering. How'd he get here? I wanted to ask so many questions, but I kept my mouth shut.

                "Come on." He pulled me along, looking out for guards and people on the way. "We'll get you to the car, and then find Sydney."

                I just nodded. I didn't have strength for anything else. Two times Jack had to stop and knock out the guards.

                When we got to the car I let go of Jack and stumbled to the passenger door. Jack got in and I glanced to the back seat. Will was lying there looking as if he was hit by a truck. I gave him a small 'hi', but all he did was grunt.

                I leaned my head back on the seat and shut my eyes.

                _My feet were frozen. Even as __Sydney__ ran towards me and the water plunged after her, I couldn't move. When she pushed me to leave I knew that something was going to happen. And as I ran after her I watched the door close slowly and __Sydney__ slide out. I could see the tips of her fingers, trying to keep it open. But she couldn't and let go. I banged into the door and looked up. Her face showed pure terror for me… pure fear for me... a thought raced through my head. 'I'm going to die.'_

_                My eyes snapped open. We were on a parkway… or something. I heard Will groan on the back seat and smirked. The guy probably didn't know how annoying that little sound was._

                "You have been doing that for ten minutes." I listened to the frustration in Jack's voice and I laughed. Jack looked over to me. "You're awake." He stated. Thank you Mr. Obvious.

                "Where are we going?" I looked out of the windshield. It was darker now… don't know what time. 

                "The airport." Jack stated clearly and coldly. "I want you and Tippin on a flight to LA immediately."

                I heard Will sit up in the back seat and could tell he was thinking the same thing I was.

                "No." I coughed. "I'm not leaving without Sydney…" I listened to Will sigh (a mad, 'who the hell do you think you are' sigh) in the background. "And I don't think 'reporter' back there is going to either." I heard a small 'Mmm hmm' coming from Will and I sat up and turned so that I could see Jack clearly. 

                "I don't care…" Jack started, but I wasn't going to let him frighten me this time.

                "I put my life on the line literally when I went against orders." I interrupted him. "I stayed under water for at least three minutes. I was holding on because I wanted to know that Sydney got out of this." I turned a little more so that if he looked over he would see the determination on my face. "I'm not leaving until I make sure of that."

                Jack looked over to me, glanced back at Will and pulled the car to the shoulder of the road.


	2. ... and respect

A/N – For those of you who have read any of my other stories, you know that I seem to like POV's…

                I've had a cold for the past few days so if this chapter sucks it's because of that…

                Freelancer – thanks for pointing out the mistake. When I was typing it up, I was typing too fast to notice and when I read over, it just sounded right, so I skipped it.

                Anyway, for all of you who like Romance stories, please (please please) check out my new short story. Thanks.

**Vaughn's POV**

**                "You _both are going back to L.A." Jack stopped the car and turned to see both Will in the backseat and me in the front passenger seat._**

                "No." We both argued. I looked to Will and he was shaking his head, his eyes closed. But his stance gave him away. He wanted out, he was too beat up to give a shit about anything. I would've been the same if 1-I was the one who got the crap beat out of me, and 2-If I didn't love Sydney so much that I wanted to know that she was okay as soon as I could.

                Jack ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I know you both want to make sure Sydney's alright, but you will just get in even more trouble if you stay here…" He sounded stern and like a father ordering his son around.

                Will leaned back and closed his eyes. "I'll leave as long as you contact me, _once you find her."_

                Jack nodded and looked at me.

                "No." I told him and shook my head. "I'm sticking firmly to my answer. No." Will looked surprised at my persistence. "I'm not leaving without her."

                "Fine, just fine." Jack muttered/snapped. He looked worn down. I was underwater for so long and I didn't even feel as worn down as he looked.

                Will muttered something about me being too 'heroic'. When we got to the airport I got out and so did Jack, just to make sure that Will got on the plane. The whole way to his gate Will was mumbling about Sydney and how he never imagined any of this.

                Jack and I decided (after Will's plane left) that the airport café would be good enough for 'dinner'. Jack got an English muffin, but he ended up just playing around with it. I just got a coffee.

                Most of the time we were in silence, both of us didn't even know how to start a conversation.

                Finally he started. "That will keep you up all night." Jack pointed out when I took my fourteenth sip, but who's counting?

                "I wouldn't go to sleep anyway." I pointed out. I'd be up all night, worrying about Sydney. Where was she? Is she okay? Did 'The Man' find her?... is she dead?

                The last thought played over and over in my head and would play over until we found her.

                "Agent Vaughn." Jack looked up at me. "I do not know if you'll believe me right now, but I still respect you and your courage." He looked away and studied the table next to ours. "Actually, I respect you even more for your persistence and… your independence." He finished and got up to throw out his food.

                I sat there; watching his retreating back… the guy could be nice at times. Let's just hope those times are here to stay.

**Sydney****'s POV**

**                I've been here for while now. I don't know how long, since the morons decide not to have a clock in here. Of course, Syd, who would put a clock in the torture room? I'm going insane.**

                Not because I'm tied to a chair and sitting a torture room. No! Because I'm thinking of everyone. Will, dad, mom, Francie…

                Vaughn. He's probably dead, by now. No! Don't fool yourself with the probably shit. He _is dead._

                Just then _Alexander came in. I'm gonna call him that from now on… just to piss him off._

                I am insane.

                "I thought you might like something to eat by now." He held up a sandwich.

                "What is it?" My voice had no emotion. Just anger and impatience.

                "I think cheese." He smiled and looked me in the eye. "Your mother doesn't know how to make a sandwich that well…" He took a small bit off and held it to my lips. "But you should try."

                I shook my head away from it. "I'm not… hungry." That's when my stomach decides to growl. Shit. Damn it. F… no. Calm down Syd.

                "No? Okay." I don't know why, but he sounded so funny. Then I see mom walk in and gesture for him to leave.

                I leaned back and watched her walk behind me and then sit on the desk in front of me. "You are very stubborn Sydney. Just like me."

                "I'm nothing like you." I said bitterly. How dare she. I'm nothing like her. My mind is repeating my words.

                She just smiled. I finally decided that I should be trying to get out of here and not worrying about what they are going to do to me. 

                _Alexander came back in and started to whisper something to mom. She left and he watched me for a minute._

                "What _Alexander." I drew out each syllable. He looked at me angrily and then left. So, I start to hum. In my head there are words all over the place. There are words that will keep me sane and keep me thinking positive._

                But there are no words that will keep me from thinking about Vaughn. There are not enough words in the whole world to do that.

**Vaughn's POV**

**                "We're almost there." I listened to Jack whisper as I pulled a gun out of the bag in his back seat. He's in the front, driving and he keeps whispering encouraging words to himself. I don't blame him; I'm thinking the same things he's saying.**

                "Do we have any idea what we're doing?" I looked into the front seat and shivered when he pulled up to a large building. Just knowing that Sydney was inside, the Sydney had even been in there, just gave me the chills.

                "No." Jack turned in the seat and reached for a gun. As he did that I stuck mine in my belt. I had no where else to put it. Plus, if I needed it, it would be right there.

                "Great plan." I muttered and climbed out. I looked up at the building and around it. There were air vents. I guess we could climb in one. It's not like we could go through the front door… I don't think the guards would like that very much… no action in that.

                "You go in the vent. See if you can find the room she's in." Jack told me, then continued. 'I'm going to sneak in and see what's going on." I nodded and he left to go… sneak in.

                "Okay, now which one." I mused to myself and then I saw one that I could actually reach. So what do I do? I climb in. _No duh! Michael, you're a moron._

_                So, I'm climbing around the air vents and what do I hear? :::_

                "She's very stubborn… she won't eat… probably afraid we poisoned it." I heard a voice talking right below me. I looked through the cracks and noticed that it's Khasinau.

                "Like I said to her… she's just like me. She won't take crap from anyone and she's protecting herself." A woman said. "Give her some credit… she is my daughter."

                I practically fell right then and there. This is Sydney's mother were talking about. Person who made Sydney, the girl I'm in love with. The person who also, on coincidence, killed my father.

                I finally realize that they are still talking and that I'm stupid for not listening.

                "You can't force food down her throat." Sydney's mom said. "She has to eat at some point so just wait." The she walked away, slowly.

                I heard footsteps coming closer to Khasinau, followed by an accented voice. "I got the page." Sark came into view. 

                "Good." Khasinau smirked slightly. "Now we have to reveal the page."

                "They already did. Saves us time." Sark looked around, as if he sensed something was wrong. "What happened?"

                "Destroyed." That was the only word I could hear come out of Khasinau's mouth.

                "How?" Sark looked a little surprised.

                "Bristow." Sark's eyes widened a little. "Her own daughter, would you believe it?" Khasinau's voice sounded angry and un-believing.

                "No, I wouldn't." Sark looked around. "I get the feeling we're being watched." His eyes searched around him, behind, in front… not above.

                "Impossible." Khasinau smirked. "Come. Let's see if Miss. Bristow will eat now."

                When they finally started to walk, I followed in the vents. It was hard not to make noise, while moving, but I finally found where Sydney was. The only thing was that I couldn't continue into the room.

                I waited until Khasinau and Sark left the room and went into another down the hall, until I jumped down and out.

                "Sydney." I hissed into the room, opening the door slightly; afraid there might be guards or something.

                There was a small sound that sounded like a whimper… please let it not be Sydney.

                I opened the door all the way and peaked in. Damn it. She was tied to a chair, her head bowed down, and drops of blood falling from her bleeding lip.

                "Sydney." I whispered softly and bent down next to her; pushing her hair out of her face.

**Sydney****'s POV**

**                I had no clue who was saying my name and pushing my hair out of my face. My blue, sweaty hair… damn it. I felt the ropes around my wrists begin to loosen and then fall. The sensation repeated around my ankles. I was being pulled out of the chair and I had no strength to stop it. Two hands were secured on my waist and I hadn't even opened my eyes yet… were they even closed?**

                So, I opened them. I was dreaming, or I was dead, in heaven.

                "Vaughn?" I whispered. Choking slightly on the blood that slid down my throat, and the tears that threatened to fall.

                "Hey." Vaughn looked at me and smiled slightly. He looked strange, like he himself was about to cry.

                "You're… you're… you're dead." I struggled out of my mouth.

                "I don't think I am." He whispered and chuckled slightly. Then his voice lowered and went serious. "Syd…" His arms surrounded me as I put my own around his neck. My head rested on his shoulder and I felt a slight brush of his lips on my forehead.

                "I saw you… you were underwater…" The tears from before spilled onto his black tee-shirt and formed a darker patch. "I'm dreaming… I know it." I whispered and the tears kept falling.

                "You're not dreaming, Sydney." He pulled back and tried to get me to look at him. "Sydney, look at me. Syd." He ordered. Finally, he put his hands on my face forcing me to look. "Sydney, I'm not dead. And I'm not going anywhere soon… I…" But he stopped short.

                "Wha…" He put his fingers on my lips and I almost didn't figure out that there had been a sound in the hallway.

                "We have to get out of here." Vaughn turned his head and looked at the door, expecting it to open any second. Then he looked around and up. "Thing is, I don't know where your dad is…"

                "My dad?" I swiped my eyes with my arm. Annoyed, I ripped part of my sleeve and blew my nose on it. Hey, what use is there otherwise?

                "Yeah…" He smirked and continued looking at the door. "He's the one who brought me here." Before I could ask the question that was dying to come out, he answered. "Will is safe on a plane to L.A."

                I just nodded. Then the door opened. I jumped and when I saw my dad sliding in the room my hand flew over my heart. That was also when I realized that Vaughn's left arm was still wrapped around me, and his hand resting on my waist.

                "You're okay?" Dad looked from me to Vaughn then back to me. He noticed the whole 'arm around me' thing.

                "Yeah." I took a deep breath and looked at Vaughn. As if he finally realized it, he took his arm away and moved to the door.

                "We should… get out of here." He finished.

                Dad nodded and looked out the doorway. "Something is going on… I'm just not sure what…" He looked at me again and sighed. "But we should get going." All the words in my head are repeating. There is no way that this is happening and even if it is, everything is jumbled, but somehow I get words and sentences out… somehow.

                "So… why aren't we getting out of here?" I slipped next to both of them.

                "Because…." Vaughn started…

                "Someone is outside the door." An accented voice finished for him and I gasped as Vaughn fell to the ground. Everything was spinning and moving around me so quickly that I barely felt the blow that knocked me out.


	3. ... and kisses

A/N – I'm sorry about the cliffhanger… I hate cliffhangers, but that's only when I am not the one making them… Example: I hate JJ for making the Vaughn cliffhanger! How dare he… Just, this cliffhanger went with the story!

Be warned that there is more cursing in this chapter for some reason. It just sounded right. But they are little words… like shit. But that's about it.**  
  
**

**Vaughn's POV**

**                My head hurt. God, I sounded like such a baby.**

                "Hello…" A voice trailed on. "You awake yet?" The person stood up before me. "Sydney got up an hour ago…"

                At the mention of Sydney, I snapped my eyes open and my head up.

                "Oh, you are awake." Sark smirked slightly. What alliteration! The letter 's' three times.

                "Yeah, I'm awake." My throat was sore and scratchy. No duh, that last thing that was in my mouth was water, that only God knows what was in it.

                "You sound terrible." Sark frowned sarcastically and looked at the door. "Mr. Khasinau should be here soon, with a drink for you." He shrugged. "Though I don't think any of you should get such _good treatment, I have no say in all of it."_

                _Thank God. The thought fluttered through my head, and it almost hurt to think. __How bad had I been hit?_

_                "Sark." A female voice entered the room, but not enough so that I could see her. "Jack is awake and pissed. He's just like Irina said he would be. Yelling, cursing…" At least it wasn't Sydney's mother again. I don't think I could be in the same room with her._

                "I'll be right there…" The woman left and Sark glanced back at me. "Don't go anywhere." He smirked and left the room quickly.

                It took about five minutes for Khasinau to walk through the door. Isn't that strange… it always takes about five minutes for people to show up… now if it could only take me five minutes to think of a plan to save myself and Sydney… oh and Jack.

                "Drink?" He held up the cup and let the dark liquid move around a bit.

                I shook my head, which made the room spin. _I'm gonna kick his ass… as soon as I puke first._

_                "I know you need a drink." Khasinau held the cup to my lips and forced a few drops down my throat. I tasted Coke. He finally (after some persuading and almost drowning in the Coke) got the rest down my throat and threw the cup to the floor, making the glass shatter into pieces._

                _I gotta get out of here. But my hands were tied behind the chair, and even when I felt the air for something, nothing popped up. __I'm so friggin` delusional._

_                "Sir." Sark opened the door, only enough that I could see a shadow of him __Freaky. "Irina wants to see you… she's with Sydney."_

                Khasinau glanced toward me and then walked to the door. "Be right back." He muttered and shut the door behind him and Sark.

                Alone at last. Now, if I could just reach the table behind me. Oh, shit. I went a little too far, because the chair, with me tied to it, is on its back. Crushing my hands, no less. Shit. Something is digging into my hand and I have no idea what. It's cutting my hand too and it hurts like hell. What is… piece of glass. Yes! Ok, now I just gotta maneuver it so that I can cut the rope.

                Hell yes! I rolled the chair over and got my other hand free quickly. As if I was on fire, I tugged the ropes on my ankles loose and jumped up. Yes! I feel like a kid who just got out of detention. Of course, I had never been in detention so I wouldn't… I gotta shut up and find Sydney.

                Oooo the hallway again. God, now I really do _sound like a kid. I think the bump on my head did a little more damage then I thought._

                There were sounds coming from every which way, but only one caught my attention and that one was Jack… yelling about how they should get their asses back in there… or something like that.

                "Jack?" I hissed as I slid into the room. "Would you shut the hell up?"

                He looked at me surprised and quickly quieted. "How in the world did you get out?" I untied his hands without answering his question. Let him think what he wants.

                "Get yourself untied. I'm going to find Sydney…" I left, not waiting for him to answer me, or try and stop me.

                Every door was closed and I started to wonder if they ever left a door open. One room caught my attention. The door was open a crack and voices were arguing inside. When I got closer, I realized it was where Sydney was.

                "You are not…" Sydney practically yelled and then lowered her voice. "You're not even close to being my mother."

                "Stubborn." I heard her mother mutter and then the door opened. I looked around quickly and ducked into another room, making sure it was empty. Which it was. "She's a stubborn brat." I listened as her mother walked down the hall, away from the room.

                "She's you." Khasinau muttered after her.

                When the footsteps were gone I checked the halls then got out. I didn't know if the room was empty or not. I didn't care. I needed to get Sydney out of here. So I just entered the room.

                "Sydney?" I looked around the room. It _was empty except for Sydney, obviously, tied in yet another chair. I bent down in front of her and she looked up. "Hey?" I smirked and pushed her hair out of her face. Whoa. Déjà vu._

                "Hey." She smiled softly and pulled her hands from the ropes as I untied her.

**Sydney****'s POV**

**                Déjà vu. He's pushing my hair back and untying the ropes… again. I love this man.**

                I didn't just think that. No, I take that…

                "You okay?" He whispered and pulled me out of the chair.

                "Yeah." I pulled back and looked him in the eye. "I'm fine. I just… she…" I stopped short. What am I doing? Am I nuts? I'm standing here, in the middle of a foreign country, thinking about the man standing in front of me and how his hair looks so sexy when it's messed and he looks worried.

                "Sydney?" He made a move to me and I stepped back one. "Syd, what's going on?"

                "I'm just… I want to get out of here." I whispered.

                "Me too… but you have to let me…" He moved to me again and this time I let him get closer. His arms surrounded me again, but this time it's just because we are both standing here. Not because I thought he was dead, not because I had been captured by my mother… because it's just me and him.

                "Vaughn…" I looked up and caught my breath. The look in his eyes… My arms were around his neck and I tightened them, pulling him closer. A moment of shock swept through me when I felt his lips on mine and then a surge of hunger as the kiss deepened. One of his hands moved up my back and into my hair, sending shivers down my spine. My own hands rested on the back of his neck and pushed the kiss deeper. My lungs burned for air, but my heart and soul burned for him.

                Air won as we both pulled apart, handing staying in place, breathing calming down and taking long, deep breaths.

                "You don't know how long I've wanted to do that." Vaughn whispered when he gained his breath back. Our foreheads were rested against each other's and I smiled.

                "We have to get out of here." I muttered; not wanting to leave this spot, but needing to get out.

                "Come on." One of his hands left me as I slid my hands back to me. His other hand was on my waist, lightly guiding me out the door.

                The hallway was empty as we quickly made our way down to the entrance. Occasionally we ducked into an empty room as someone came down the hallway towards us. But we managed.

                I didn't know if they had realized we were gone. The only thing I knew was that I was outside, my dad standing by the car and Vaughn's hand was still on my waist.

                **Later:**

**                Ok, I'm sitting in the backseat of a car. I know it's a CIA car because it's black. My father is in the front, driving. And Vaughn is on the other side of my seat, our hands locked together, but out of view from the prying eyes of who I call Dad. I had gotten rid of my blue hair in the airport and had changed into something a little more… Sydney.**

                I let go of Vaughn's hand as we turned down my dads' street. "I'm assuming you can find Sydney's house pretty well…" Dad stopped the car and glanced at Vaughn.

                "She can give me directions, yes." He nodded and smirked as my dad left the front seat.

                We all got out. I wasn't going to sit in the backseat, while Vaughn drove. Hell no. So, I get into the passenger seat and Vaughn gets into the drivers seat.

                "What time is it?" I asked softly. I remember that I told Francie I'd be home at, maybe, twelve o'clock if I was lucky. It was way past twelve, I know that.

                "Five in the morning." Vaughn yawned and glanced at me. "Take a left here, right?"

                "Yeah." I whispered; looking out the window, trying to make an excuse for not being there on time. Will is probably sleeping on my couch right now, if he could've thought up an excuse to give to Francie for how he looked like shit.

                "Well… here we are." Vaughn muttered and turned off the car as he looked at where I lived. "Nice."

                "Thanks." I noticed that the living room light was on and that someone was walking around. Francie. She always was a worrier. "I better go before she does something drastic." I said as I took off my seatbelt and opened my door. Before I got out I leaned over to Vaughn. We kissed again, but this time, rushed and over quickly. "See you." I muttered and jumped out of the car, smiling as I walked to the door and opened it.

                "Sydney?" Francie walked into my line of view and stood there. "Where were you?"

                "I'm sorry Francie." I threw my jacket to the floor and walked up to her. "It went a little longer then planned, so I just fell asleep there and decided to wait till now to come home."

                "Okay." Francie hugged me and pointed to the couch. "Will is on the couch. Be nice to him. He's been robbed and he looks like crap, they beat him up."

                _Nice save, Will. I thought to myself, smiling._

                "Okay Francie." I smiled at her, then went into my bedroom. I was beat. Literally and non-literally. The minute, second, millisecond my head touched the pillow I was asleep.

                "Will… wake up." I pushed him over and over again. "Will, this is urgent!" I pushed him until he finally opened his eyes.

                "What'd you want?" Will sat up slowly, wincing slightly at the pain. Right now, I couldn't care.

                "Tell me, that you called Abby…" I looked him in t he eye. Before he left, my dad told me about Will's story and about Abby.

                "Yeah." Will breathed out and so did I. "She's worried, but not gonna publish the story." Will closed his eyes again, then opened them, this time with more energy in them. "It took some persuading and blackmailing, but she's gonna tell the editor that it was all a joke… I'm gonna get my ass kicked." He tried to stand, but I pushed him down.

                "You are going to stay on this couch the whole day." I ordered. He made a move to get up, but I put up my hand. "You know that I can kick your ass worse then your editor can, so stay there and you don't move." I looked at my watch. "I gotta get to work." I muttered and looked down at him. "If I found out that you moved for anything else then food and bathroom, then I will kick your ass." I left his side to grab my coat. "I'll be back." I blew him a kiss and left quickly.


	4. ... and angels

A/N – Sloane doesn't know about Sydney in Taipei right? Well, that's what is going on in this chapter and he also doesn't know about Sydney's mom being 'The Man'.

_-- (Something here) ---    means that Vaughn is telling 'the' story. Right now you don't know what 'the' story is, but you will._

The Vaughn POV is very long, since he has to tell 'the' story. But I guess you don't care.

I thought: "Hey, I haven't had a chapter out in a very long time, so let's make this one long and full of stuff." Here you go.

**Sydney****'s POV**

**                As I slid into my small, little desk, I glanced behind me to Dixon. I don't know if he's going to rat me out or not. But right now I don't really care. I got away with being gone and while I was gone, I got kisses from Michael Vaughn! I couldn't care less about dying right now.**

                "Sydney…" I heard Dixon say. When I spun around, he was standing. "We have a meeting with Sloane. He's got some new information and a new mission." He was saying it through clenched teeth, I could tell.

                As I sat at the table, I gave Sloane and Marshall a short smile.

                "Ok, let's get through this quickly…" Sloane told us. My father slid into his seat across from me. "We've been doing some research on Khasinau and his 'helpers'. Mr. Sark is the only one we could get any information on." Sloane stopped for a moment and clicked a button. A large house appeared on the screen. "This is Sarks' house. From some valuable people we have found out that he lives here, in France, with his partner, working partner, not girlfriend. It's been… what was it Jack?" Sloane looked to my father carefully.

                "Three years." Dad looked at me. There was something in his eyes… about the girl…

                "Her name is Lillian Vaughn." Sloane told Dixon and I.

                I snapped my face to my dad, but kept all emotion in my eyes. Vaughn. Daughter… no… Niece?

                "We are sending you to France to set a bug in his house and also to figure out anything you can about Khasinau, Sark or anyone else." He slid down two folders to Dixon and me. "Your flight leaves tomorrow."

                I stood up and left with my father following me. As I walked, I heard my father click on the lighter and pulled me into a small room.

                "Lillian Vaughn?" I asked and he nodded. "Vaughn…"

                "Niece." He replied. "I haven't contacted Agent Vaughn yet, because I think that you should talk to him. He'll listen to you…Get any information you can. I have talked to Devlin and he says that his niece and him had a fight right before she moved to Franc. Haven't seen each other since. Here's a folder with her info. Such as, how old she is and who her parents are… were."

                I nodded. "Ok." A beeping sound interrupted.

                "Have a good trip, Sydney." He nodded and left.

                _Ok, here we go._

_                "Hey Will." I smiled as I opened the door to me and Francie's apartment. "Feeling any better?" I slid onto the edge of the couch._

                "Huh?" Will turned towards me. "I haven't moved all day… with the exception of getting something to eat and going to the bathroom." He smirked at me and shivered.

                "Lucky." I muttered and went into the kitchen. "Did you drink all the diet Coke?!" I called back to him.

                He laughed. "You expected me not to?" I could tell he was laughing and smiling as he said this.

                Then the phone rang.

                "Hello?" I smiled as I answered the phone.

                "Joey's Pizza?" The voice on the other end questioned.

                "Sorry wrong number…" I hung up the phone quickly and grabbed my jacket. "Will, I'm gonna go get some diet Coke. You want anything?" I turned to the couch, he was nodding.

                "Get some Doritos or something, cause you got no junk food." Will smiled and lied back down.

                "I'll be right back." I smiled and closed the door behind me.

**Vaughn's POV**

**                Jack is keeping something from me. This morning he was in the office for his new weekly meetings with Barnett. When he came out he had an irritated look on his face, but when he saw me all the irritated ness just vanished. You know… went 'Poof'. **

                The Joey's Pizza call was simple. The waiting in the warehouse part wasn't. I tapped my foot against the metal of the lonely chair. Sound echoed through the warehouse… it was that one sound until I heard footsteps coming in.

                "Hey." Her smile lit the room and I couldn't help but smile back.

                "Hey Syd." I walked a little closer, but not too close. But she closed the distance and kissed me. It was sweet and perfect… just like her.

                "How you been?" She put her arms around my neck and smiled.

                "Other then the fact that my mother thinks it's strange that I won't touch water… I'm good." I smiled.

                Then she pulled back and smiled lightly. "I'm going to France."

                "I heard." I pushed her hair back and shivered at the thought that I was actually touching her… and she wasn't pulling back.

                "There is something about the mission that I'm supposed to talk to you about…" Her voice trailed, her eyes darkened and I narrowed my eyes in confusion.

                "What?" I sat back down in the chair as she sat on the desk across from me, but still close.

                "Sark has a partner that he lives with in France. What I've heard is that they hate each other… but that's not the point." She swung her legs a little and took a deep breath. "The girl… her name is Lillian…" I guess I looked confused. "That's not the part that got me… do you have a brother?"

                Her question caught me by surprise. I stood up and went over to her, resting my hands on her knees. "One… Jared, why?"

                "Cause Lillian's last name is Vaughn." I took a step back and looked down.

                "Lily… it's her… she works for them?" I looked back up and Sydney had her eyes set on me.

                "Yeah. She's Sark's partner." Her head nodded slightly.

                Lily. My only niece was part of _Them. And all I could wonder is if Jared knew what his little girl was into. He's my big brother… she's my niece._

                "My father gave me this file on why she went to France, but I couldn't read it." She looked at the folder in her hands and handed it to me. "I wanted you to tell me…"

                I looked in her eyes and nodded. Memories of my little angel fluttered. I smiled. "Where to start…" I mused. "How about when she was born. That was only… nineteen years ago…" I looked up and placed my hands back on Sydney's knees. 

_                --- I was only fifteen when Jared had her. Everyone thought he was too young to have a kid… he was only twenty. But the three of us (Jared, his wife and I) all thought she was precious. Jared got to name her and he named her after his favorite flower. The minute I saw my niece in the pink blanket and being held by her mother, she was 'angel'. The nickname stuck, but if anyone but me called her that she'd get mad at them. ---_

                I looked up and smiled at Sydney. "When you called me your guardian angel, I remembered her and the nickname. Hard to forget…"

                "You better sit if you're going to tell me the long story." Sydney pushed me towards the chair. I took a deep breath and sat.

                _--- Jared… he was twenty and positively in love with his wife of two years, Diana. Everyone loved her. Our father would have too. Diana was an optimist… never worrying. When Lily came, she was glowing so much. She was born to be a mother. But, like everyone, she was also born to die…_

_                For a few years, my family had lived in __San Francisco__. My mother had refused and lived in __Los Angeles__. When Lily was six, I had been over the house, helping Jared and Diana clean up for the company they were having over. I remember that Lily was in her room, and Diana had just realized that they didn't have any wine. So, after kissing Jared on the cheek and saying 'I'll be right back' she grabbed her car keys and left. Half an hour passed, but we didn't really notice. Traffic could've been bad, since it was rush hour. But then an hour passed. After an hour and a half the phone rang. ---_

**Flashback**

                "Jared?" Danielle's voice entered my ear.

                "No, it's Michael. What's up Danielle?" I listened closely. Something was wrong. She was sniffling, crying.

                "Have you turned on the news yet?" She asked hurriedly.

                "No. Why?" I looked to Jared and nodded for him to turn the TV on. He clicked it on and made his way to the news channel.

                "It's Diana." She stopped.

                I almost dropped the phone when I saw what was on the screen.

                The newscaster stood in front of the large car accident as the ambulance pulled out a stretcher.

                "Twenty minutes ago, two cars collided on South Broadway. One of the officers on duty commented saying that one driver, Mark Davids, had been driving drunk and had curved when the cars hit. The other car had been driven by Diana Vaughn, who is being rushed to the hospital…"

                At this I _really dropped the phone._

                "Mike, I'm going to the hospital. Wait until I call and then bring Lily please." Jared grabbed his jacket and his keys. I nodded and opened the door.

                "Uncle Michael, where's daddy going?" Lily walked out of her room and stopped in front of me.

                I scooped her up and quickly changed the channel on the TV to some cartoons.

                "He went out for a little while and were gonna go see him in a bit, Angel. Why don't we watch cartoons while we wait?" I sat down, with her on my lap and as she smiled brightly I wondered what would happen if Diana died. What would happen to Lily and Jared?

                The phone call was only ten minutes later, but it felt like hours.

                "Mike, before you come, put Lily on the phone." Jared's request shocked me a bit as I handed the receiver to the six year old.

                "Daddy?" Lily asked into the phone. There was a small silence. "Promise." I wondered what Jared made her promise, but I knew that right now he was telling her where Diana was. When she hung up the phone and looked at me that was it.

                "Come on… let's go see mommy, Angel." I let her jump down and grab her small jacket as I took mine. My keys felt cool in my hand and when I opened the door I realized it was raining.

                I didn't think the car could have gone fast enough. Finally, we got there, Jared was sitting in front of the room, head in his hands.

                When he saw us come up to him, he scooped up Lily and whispered. "Mommy's sleeping and they don't know when she's going to wake up." Then he looked at me and sighed. "I gotta call mom." Then he put Lily on the plastic chair and walked away.

                I sighed and slid into the seat next to her. Running my hand through my hair, I glanced at Lily.

                A few minutes later, Jared came back. "Mom's coming here. She says she'll go to the house when she gets here." He stopped short, talking and looked into the hospital room. "I'm gonna wait in there…" He bent down and kissed Lily on the head. "I'm gonna go wait with Mommy." He left again.

                "Uncle Mike?"

                "Yeah?"

                "What's gonna happen?"

                "I don't know, Angel. I don't know."

**Flashback Ends**

                _--- Diana died the next morning. I had woken up and realized that Lily had slept in my lap on those uncomfortable plastic seats. Jared had his head down on the bed, next to Diana's hand. That's when her heart stopped beating. The sound of that long, annoying and sad beep filled my head for years after that. Lily was devastated and so was Jared. The funeral was unbearable. I wondered what Jared would do, not that it was just him and Lily. But he seemed confident that he could handle himself and his six year old daughter by himself. So, I moved here, to __Los Angeles__ with my mom. At first, I didn't want to. I stayed in her house, ready to go back to __San Francisco__ at the blink of an eye. But soon, I found myself looking for an apartment and finally moving out on my own. I was worried about Lily and Jared, but there was nothing I could do. They were doing just fine. ---_

_                "Almost seven hours away…" Sydney mused, looking at me with this sadness in her eyes that I couldn't bare. I didn't want any pity. For some reason, especially from her._

                "Yeah, the first month I was going out of my mind." I smiled and then I laughed. "I hated it."

                "So, what happened to Lily and everyone? Why did she go to France?" Sydney rested her hands on each side of her legs and continued to swing them back and forth.

                "I'm getting there… there's another part of the story…"

                _--- Lily was sixteen and I had been visiting for three days when Jared met Caroline. We had been at this club and they had started flirting. I didn't think anything would happen. Neither did Lily… she was too busy with her boyfriend Kyle. Jared was getting back into dating and flirting. But things got serious between him and Caroline. They started going out regularly and before I knew it, Caroline had moved in with Jared and Lily. Lily hated her, but Jared wouldn't listen to her pleas, or my reasons. The next year, they got married. Caroline tried to get along with Lily, but you can't push Lily. She won't listen to you if you're trying to hard. So Caroline gave up and they started to fight on occasion. Lily was going t turn eighteen in one week and she had already started to look for an apartment away from her step-mother. Caroline had been saying the whole time that Lily was too young... She made that mistake… ---_

**Flashback**

**                "Dad?" Lily walked into the room he shared with Caroline. I had been visiting again and was helping Jared with his computer.**

                "Yeah, Lils?" Jared spun the chair around and smiled at her.

                "Have you seen the list of apartments that I hade on my desk?" Lily moved aside so that Caroline could enter the room. Caroline had been cleaning the house and was just starting on her own room.

                "No, Caroline did you see them?" Jared turned to his wife.

                "How could she? She's not supposed to go in my room…" Lily told Jared and looked at Caroline.

                "As a matter of fact, I probably did see them, but I might've thrown them out. I was trying to clean your room a bit." Caroline made a mistake in telling her that.

                "You were in my room?" Lily narrowed her eyes in anger. "Why were you in my room? I told you…"

                "I'm sorry, I was trying to make your room look more presentable." Caroline countered, putting down the papers she was holding. "You'll have to just look up those apartments again."

                "That's not the point." Lily snapped. "You are not supposed to be in my room. I thought we already talked about that." She ran a hand through her blonde hair. "My room stays private."

                "We have people coming over, I want everything clean and with your room looking like that…" Caroline let her sentence trail.

                "What do you care? Close the god damn door if you don't want them seeing it." Lily walked into the hallway. Caroline followed.

                "Don't talk to me like that. You have no right…"

                "I have no right? Then who the hell gave you the right to go into my room? Who gave you the right to take over my god damn life?" Lily grabbed her backpack and threw her notebook inside of it. She slung it over her shoulder. "I'm going out. Do I have a right to do that?" I listened as the door slammed and looked at Jared. He ran a hand through his hair and looked up.

                They all thought that she'd come back. They were wrong.

**Flashback Ends**

**                _--- Lily didn't come back. She did once, but we never saw her. She left a note saying that she was leaving and couldn't stand living there anymore. She was eighteen and had a life. Didn't say where she was going… didn't say if we would ever see her again. All it said was that she took all her things and left. Caroline wasn't all that sad, but Jared broke down. His little girl left him. After that, we tried to find her. I had been with the agency for a while so I tried to look her up. I looked under Lillian Vaughn. Nothing. I looked under Lillian Kelsey, her mother's maiden name. Nothing. Jared and I tried everything possible, but we never found her… until now. ---_**

                "Wow." Sydney broke the silence. I got up again and walked over to her.

                "I want to come with you." I stated, clear and to the point.

                "I don't know…"

                "I'll ask Devlin, I'll ask anyone… I have to see her again, Sydney." I nodded a bit and held Sydney's hands to the desk.

                "Ask Devlin." Sydney smiled. "If not, then I guess I'll just have to tell you what I find out." I smiled and kissed her. I was going to find out about my niece. Angel. I can't tell Jared or mom or Caroline, but I don't care. I'll find her and I'll see her… And if I talk to her then I'll convince her to come back… but right now I have to learn to control this feeling of happiness… too much in one day could be fatal.


	5. ... can dance

A/N--- There is a lot of French in here. So you gotta be careful while reading it. I'll have translations by it somewhere, but you gotta be careful.

**Ally: To unite or connect in a personal relationship, as in friendship or marriage.******

**Hate: intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger or sense of injury**

**France**** (****12 PM****)**

                Sark smiled as he jumped down the steps, almost skipping. "Hey!" He spun around to the voice behind him and his smile widened.

                "Hey Chris…" Sark stopped on the steps and waiting for his friend to catch up.

                "Where are you off to?" Chris started walking down the steps with Sark at his side. Chris and Sark had been friends since they were two. They had lived in foster care and somehow always found a way to stay together. At some point, Chris got adopted into a family, while Sark continued to move around. At eighteen they both head for France and met up again.

                "I'm off to the airport… going home today." Sark fumbled in his pocket for his keys. "Finally, I'm getting to go home… to my house… to my room… to my bed…" He tossed his keys in the air and caught them. "Finally."

                "What does Lily think of you going home?" Chris smiled at his mentioning Lily. Sark and Lily had been enemies since she started working with them.

                "She doesn't know I'm coming home." Sark gave Chris a wink and pressed a button to turn off the alarm on his car.

                "She's gonna blow. You're supposed to tell her that you're coming." Chris leaned on the drivers' door of the car, so that Sark couldn't get in.

                "Move…" Sark watched Chris shake his head. "Oh, come on. She's gonna be fine. I just want to get home." He was practically begging Chris to move.

                "I will… just call her." Chris pointed to the phone clipped to Sark's jeans. He reached over and took it, opened it and dialed the number. "All you have to do is hit send and then when she picks up, say 'I'm coming home'." Chris handed him the phone. "Is that so much to ask?"

                "Yes." Sark pressed send and put the phone to his ear. Lily picked up after the second ring. "Hey, Lils… what'd you mean?... no… I'm coming home… yeah, I'll be happy to see you too (sarcastic)… no I didn't… yeah, I'm positive… yeah… bye." Sark hung up the phone quickly and when Chris moved he jumped into the car.

                Chris walked around to the other side and got in. "So… she excited?" Chris leaned over and opened the glove compartment, pulling out a pack of gum.

                "Yeah… right." Sark muttered and turned the key in the ignition.

                Chris laughed and reached over to the radio, as he flicked it on and to a good station he leaned back in his seat and looked at the window. Sark was watching the cars in front of them, but thinking about something else.

                Sark smiled as he grabbed his bag from the backseat of the car. He jumped up the steps, just like he had been jumping down the others before. The porch looked different from when he last saw it, three months ago. There was a bench on it and a bench/swing. He knew that Lily had probably had a friend who insisted on it… this wasn't her taste.

                As he turned the key in the lock he called out to the empty hall. "Honey, I'm home!" 

                "Ah, Sark… you're actually here. Not like last time." Lily's friend Emma walked into the hall from the kitchen.

                "Emma… I told you both that I got caught up. If I had known you were waiting for me…" He whispered in her ear.

                "Pig." Emma took a step back and looked up the stairs as Lily came down.

                "Ah, Lily. You've decided to grace us with your presence." Sark mock bowed and set his bag on the floor. "May I have a room please… preferably my room…"

                "Sean!" Lily smirked as he winced at the use of his first name. "What? Can't be called by your own name?"

                "What do you want, angel?" Sark countered. But he didn't take any pride in reminding her of her family. He knew the story and he didn't like it. At least he didn't have to worry about family… he never met his.

                "Shut up and go unpack." Lily passed by him and went into the living room. TV. She needed to take her mind off everything. Grabbing the remote, she flicked on the TV.

                A few minutes later, Sark walked into the room and sat right next to her, legs touching. He put a hand on her black jeans at the knee and whispered. "I'm sorry…" He watched as she listened to him, but kept her green eyes focused on the TV.  Her blonde ponytail waved slightly from the breeze through the open window. "Je suis désolé." Sark repeated in French this time.

                She didn't turn to him, so he got up and started to leave. Just as he got to the door, Lily turned to him and smiled slightly. He didn't notice and opened the door.

                "Je vous pardonne..." Sark spun around as she said 'I forgive you' in her favorite language. She continued as he left the room. "Pour maintenant." 'For now.' Who knew when they'd fight again… in the next hour probably.

**Plane (****1 PM****)**

**                "Sydney?" Dixon looked over to the seat next to him.**

                "Yeah." She spun to Dixon and realized that she had been staring at something.

                "Promise me that you…" Dixon didn't finish his sentence, but he let it trail.

                "I promise. I told you…" Sydney smiled softly and turned to look out the window. Vaughn's flight should leave in the next hour. 'Oh god.' She thought. She was kind of excited to see what Vaughn's niece was like.

                "I know… but Syd." Dixon looked around a bit and then back at her. He smiled and sighed. "I believe you."

                "Ok." Sydney smiled and looked out the window. Clouds passed by the window as she wondered if her guardian angel was thinking of her.

**France**** (****9 PM****)**

**                "So, we going?" Lily looked at Emma and smiled. Emma had moved to France from Germany when she was only four. And Emma had been Lily's friend ever since she moved to France. Lily had taught her English as Emma taught her French. They both were masters at both languages by now. "Leala will think we ditched her." Lily threw her bag over her shoulder.**

                "Where are you two going?" Chris and Sark walked into the room. Sark took his leather jacket out of the closet and threw it on.

                "A club. What about you?" Lily tugged on her halter top.

                "A club." Sark mimicked as he tickled Lily's bare stomach, right above her black jeans. "We'll see you guys later." Sark tickled her one last time, laughed and opened the door.

                "I hate you." Lily narrowed her eyes.

                "Je vous deteste aussi." Sark smiled and quickly shut the door with Chris in front of him.

                Chris jumped down the steps. "That was your comeback? I hate you too?" He laughed and opened the passenger side door.

                "Shut up and get in the car." Sark climbed in the front seat and clicked on the radio.

                "We gotta meet Phillip, Monique and Junior at 'La Vie'." Chris rolled down the window and peered out into the night.

                "How are you and Monique doing?" Sark looked over to his friend. Monique was Chris's girlfriend. But she was a little spoiled from him.

                "Were doing good…" Chris continued to look out the window. "I think that I'm gonna break up with her…"

                "Oh." That was all Sark could say. He hated Monique and couldn't stand that his friend got hurt over her so much. "So, we clubbing at 'La Vie' tonight?"

                "Yeah. 'La Vie' is probably the best we can get." Chris laughed as 'La Vie' came into view.

                "Aucune merde." 'No shit' Sark pulled into a space and took the keys out. "Lily said she was going out tonight and I'm trying to figure out if she's been here…"

                "Come on man. Get your mind off her and let's go." Chris threw the door open and stepped out.

                "Sark, Chris!" Junior ran up to them. "Là vous êtes. Les autres sont à l'intérieur." 'There you are. The others are inside.'

                "Chris, salut bébé." 'Hello baby.' Monique kissed Chris soundly as the rest moved into the back of the club.

                "Sark, Il y a une fille vous regardant là-bas." 'There is a girl looking at you over there.' Junior pointed to three girls as Monique sat on Chris's lap.

                "Qui est la fille?" 'Who is the girl?' Monique glanced at the small group and laughed as Chris tickled her.

                Phillip smirked at Sark and nodded his head to a blonde girl glancing at them occasionally. Sark met her gaze and she scowled.

                Sark smirked. "Homme, elle est mon associee." 'Man, it's my partner.'

                "Cette fille est un cutie." 'This girl is a cutie.' Phillip smirked. "Et je ne suis pas le seul qui pense ainsi." 'And I am not the only one who thinks so.'

                Phillip pointed to a guy flirting with Lily. Sark watched as she laughed and then they went onto the dance floor and started to dance, leaving her friends behind.

                "Jaloux?" 'Jealous' Chris pushed Sark out of his trance. Lily was dancing way too close for comfort to that guy.

                "No." Sark picked up his drink and downed it.

                "Sûr." 'Sure.' Monique muttered and the group started laughing.

                Sark ignored them and picked up another drink. Lily laughed as the guy made another joke and then left to go to her friends.

                Slamming his drink down, Sark made his way over to the group of girls.

                As he got closer, the girls giggled more… all but Lily.

                "Ce qui vous veulent?" 'What'd you want?' Lily silenced the girls with a look as Sark stood in front of her.

                "Danse avec moi." Sark suggested. "S'il vous plait?" Sark held a hand out. Lily smirked and took the extended hand.

                The music was slow and they stood close. Lily felt a little uncomfortable.

                "Why'd you wanna dance?" Lily spoke in English.

                Sark shrugged. "I saw you and thought… you looked good." He muttered the last part softly.

                "Really?" A small smile spread across Lily's features. It brightened her green eyes a lot. She couldn't help but smile at the comment.

                Sark blushed and bowed his head. "Yeah."

                Lily fidgeted, her hand on his shoulder moved slightly. "I don't hate you… I just… you annoy the hell out of me sometimes."

                "Ditto." Sark agreed and smiled at her. This wouldn't be so bad. "But it's fun. I mean, we are Allies, but we hate each other so much." He was whispering in her ear.

                "Yeah." Lily got a little nervous at how fast her heart was beating. He was close to her and she didn't mind. That wasn't her. "I better get back to them." Lily pulled back and smiled. "Thanks for the dance." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, lingering a bit longer then she should have, and then ran back to her friends.

                Sark went back to his friends, his mind on his Ally and his Enemy.

**Airport (****9 PM****)**

**                "What'd you tell him?" Vaughn asked as he and Sydney left the airport and got into a car that she had managed to get.**

                "I told Dixon that I wanted to start looking for information on Sark and Lily. And he let me go." Sydney climbed into the drivers' seat. "I found out that right now they are both at this club, if you wanna start there…"

                "Well, then we have to go to my hotel room first, cause I am not dressed for a club." Vaughn gestured to his suit as Sydney started the car.

                "Ok." Sydney pulled out of the airport and made their way to the hotel.

                "Wow." Vaughn said as he opened the door to his room. "This is amazing." And the room was huge.

                "Yeah, I guess I'm used to it." Sydney smiled at Vaughn's reaction and set her bag on the table. "Go get dressed, cause I don't know how long they will be there."

                "Yeah." Vaughn was still in awe as he went into the bathroom to change.

                A few minutes later, Vaughn came out in black jeans and a black t-shirt. And his black leather jacket did add a little something to it…

                Now it was Sydney's turn to be in awe.

                "See something you like?" Vaughn smiled as he help her put her jean jacket back on.

                "Hmmm…" Sydney turned toward him and smiled. "Very much." He smiled also as he leaned in and kissed her.

                "We better get going." Vaughn smiled as Sydney groaned and they made their way out of there.

                At the club, the music was loud, but you could still talk to someone as long as they were right next to you.

                "You remember that you told me that Sark and Lily hate each other." Vaughn yelled to get Sydney to hear him. She nodded. He pointed out on the dance floor. "Are you sure?"

                They watched as Lily and Sark slow danced, talking during it. And then she kissed his cheek and went to a group of girls.

                "This is gonna be confusing…" Vaughn muttered and made his way around the club with Sydney.


	6. ... can love

_Did you ever love somebody_

_So much that the earth moved_

_Did you ever love somebody_

_Even though it hurt to_

_Did you ever love somebody_

_Nothing else your heart could do_

_Did you ever love somebody_

_Who never knew_

_Did you ever lay your head down_

_On the shoulder of a good friend_

_And then had to look away some how_

_And to hide the way you felt for them_

**Lily and ****Sark******

**                Lily opened her eyes and sat up quickly. She laughed when she realized she was in her room. "Ow." She put a hand on her head. Hangover.**

                "You got one too?" Sark passed by her bedroom door. He stepped inside for a minute and looked around. "Hurts don't it?" He muttered leaning on her door frame. His head was killing him, but he couldn't help the image that popped into it. He didn't mind it either…

                Lily looked up at him and smiled. "I can handle it." Sark smirked as she turned her head toward her mirror. "What's wrong?" She squinted in confusion.

                "Huh?" Sark snapped out of his 'daydream' and moved his head towards hers. His blue eyes locked on her green. "What?"

                "You just looked… steamy for a second." Lily laughed and clutched her head again. "I'm not even old enough to drink. Thank god I only drink once every six months." She got up out of bed and looked down, making sure she had something on. She sighed. A tank top and her pajama pants.

                "Steamy?" Sark narrowed his eyes. "What does steamy mean?" His own hangover was getting larger by the minute.

                "You know." Lily opened her drawers and pulled out black jeans and a black tank-top. "Like you were in the middle of a really hot day-dream." She raised her eyebrows to make her point.

                "Oh." Sark stood up straight when he realized that she noticed. "Sorry…" He blushed.

                "Ok… I'm gonna go take a shower." Lily picked up her clothes and walked past Sark. "Go cool off!" She yelled behind to him.

                "Yeah." Sark muttered as he walked to his own room. "I'm supposed to cool off while you're in the shower." He was muttering to no one in particular. Going to his bed, he climbed onto it and stuck his head under a pillow. But that only helped to make the image larger and larger.

                Out of breath and pissed off that he couldn't control himself, Sark stood up and started to get dressed. He had the week off so he wasn't going to waste it. He also knew that Lily had the week off, but he didn't care… or at least he didn't want to.

                His hangover was subsiding, so he decided to go out and see what was up in the world.

                Ten minutes later he was on his cell phone. "Yeah. I'll meet you there in five minutes." Sark smiled and hung up the phone. One of his other friends, Ricky, had wanted to meet up with him for a while, but Sark never had time. So, now he was going to.

                "Rick!" Sark yelled when he got to the parking lot of a small hotel, but it had a great café.  
                "Sark!" Ricky jogged over to his friend and grabbed his hand in a handshake. "Come on. I need lunch, I haven't eaten since yesterday morning and it's one o'clock already."

                "Yeah." Sark laughed and walked next to his friend as they entered the café.

                Two hours later, the topic over the two coffees had turned to women.

                "So, I have a girlfriend. Kelly. What about you? I heard your living with one…" Ricky raised his eyebrows.

                "No, it's not like that. Lily and I work together and our boss got so tired of us fighting… he made us partners and made us live together…" Sark nodded, but his eyes were a little glazed over.

                "Ok, so it's not Lily. Who is it, cause I know that you got someone on that dirty mind of yours." Ricky laughed and took a sip of his drink.      

                "Yeah, I have someone on my mind. Thing is that I don't _want to have her on my mind." Sark fidgeted and moved his drink around in his hands._

                "Oh. You want someone, but you don't want to want them?" Ricky smiled and looked down at the drinks.

                "Yeah. She's just got this thing about her that makes me crazy. She's my best friend, she's my worst enemy… she's the girl I want, but can't have." Sark paused and looked up at Ricky. "She's the one girl that I don't want to feel like this about." 

                "And why are you telling me and not her?" Ricky exclaimed. "You never were the shy one."

                Sark nodded. "She will kill me if I tell her…" He glanced down at his watch and jumped up. "I gotta get going…" He smiled and grabbed his jacket. "It was great to do this…" Sark smiled and ran out of the café. Ricky just sat there and laughed.

                "I'm not late!" Sark yelled as he jumped into the house.

                "Who said you were?" Lily walked out of the kitchen and smiled sweetly at the look he was giving her.

                "Smart ass." Sark muttered and threw his jacket down. "When do you want to go? Dana and Charles are expecting us." Sarcasm was usually in his tone when he mentioned them. "Why do we even have to put up with them?"

                "Because they are our boss' friends and they expect us." Lily picked up her jean jacket and smiled. "You only hate it because you have to pretend that I'm your girlfriend."

                Sark laughed as his eyes followed her out the door and then his feet. As he locked the door, Lily turned around and watched him.

                She never really took in all his features. Eyes, she knew them well. Blue and gorgeous. Dark blonde hair that fell into his eyes when he didn't do the whole gel thing. Black jeans and a dark blue shirt were his usual clothes if he didn't have work. He also had a leather jacket on too.

                "Hello?" Sark waved a hand in front of Lily's face. "Yeah, I'm not the only one with the steamy daydreams." He laughed and pulled her to the car.

                Lily smiled and blushed slightly. "I hate you." She muttered as she slid into the seat. He got in too and smiled at her.

                "Lillian!" Dana walked down the steps of her house to meet the two. "Sean!" Charles followed behind her and gave Lily a hug and Sark a handshake. "Come in you two. Dinner is ready and you two look starved."

                Sark frowned as he walked up the steps, Lily at his side.

                "You two still together…" Charles brought up the subject even before they got to the last step.

                "Yeah." Lily lied and put her arm around his waist, pulling him closer. Sark sighed and smiled a sincere and fake smile. It was a tough job, but he could put up with it.

                "Obviously, Charles. They wouldn't be here together if they weren't." Dana walked into the house, Charles and then the 'couple'.

                "You changed the hall around, Dana." Lily observed as Sark took her jacket off her. She smiled at him and looked at Dana.

                "Yes, do you like it?" Dana walked over to the door to the dining room.

                "It's gorgeous Dana." Sark smirked at the hostess and then looked over to Lily.

                "Come you two. Dinner is in here." Charles walked into the dining room.

                Lily realized that Sark was staring at her. "Come on. And be on your best boyfriend behavior." She took his hand and walked into the room with him.

                Half an hour later, dinner was pretty much over for everyone. Topics were hard to come by in this house.

                At some point, Sark made a remark about work, even though he had the week off. And he mentioned getting up early.

                Lily handed Sark his jacket and had started to get hers on, when he started helping her. She spun around after it was on and looked at him.

                "What?" Sark looked a little confused.

                "Nothing…" Lily shook her head.

                "Wait. I want a picture of you two together." Dana pulled out a camera from a small table in the hall. "Come on, get closer."

                Lily moved a bit closer to Sark and let go of his hand. He took the opportunity to slide it around her waist. They both smiled and waited as Dana took the picture. Immediately Lily let go of Sark, but he kept his arm around her.

                "Can I talk to you for a minute?" Lily looked at Sark and pulled him into a room connected to the hall.

                "What?" Sark looked at Lily, confused. "I'm just being a 'boyfriend'."

                "You don't have to try so hard." Lily looked away.

                "Excuse me?" Sark looked surprised. "I'm not trying hard at all…"

                Charlie called from the hall. "Are you two fighting in there?" They heard footsteps coming towards them.

                "No, we're not fighting." Lily called back, trying to get him to stop coming to them.

                "You two gonna come back?" The footsteps continued.

                Sark didn't take his eyes off Lily. The footsteps were getting closer. Lily looked up and saw his eyes staring at her.

                Suddenly he was kissing her. _What the hell? But she was kissing back._

                "You…" Charlie walked into the room and that's when Lily pulled back. "You're not fighting…" Charlie smirked and left them alone again.

                "Were leaving." Lily went into the hall, not caring if Sark was behind her or not. "Thanks Dana. Goodbye Charlie." Lily went out the door and then stood on the steps waiting for Sark.

                "We'll see you." Sark went outside and stared at her before actually started down the steps.

                Lily waited until they were back at their own house to ask. "Why'd you do that?" Sark ignored her and got out of the car, taking out his key to open the door to the house. "Answer me." She ordered and stood in front of the door, blocking him.

                Sark sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Right thing to do at the time." He tried to move her out of the way, but she stayed still. "Will you move?" He got frustrated.

                "No." She snapped. Then her voice got quieter. "You shouldn't have kissed me." The tone of her voice said differently. "I hate you." She moved out of the way so he could open the door, but he stood there.

                "You hate me?" Sark looked at her, confused, angry and all other emotions all at once. "God, Lily will you stop with the 'I hate you' stuff." His hand ran through his hair again. "Cause you're confusing the hell out of me."

                "What is so confusing?" Lily asked him, her own voice showing a little anger. "You and me have hated each other since we met. What the hell changed?"

                "A lot." Sark gulped. "A lot, Lily." He opened the door and stepped inside.

                "Sark?" Lily followed him inside. He spun around and waited. The look in his blue eyes was blinding with all sorts of emotions. She didn't know which one to start with. "Why'd you kiss me?" She repeated her question.

                "I already told you…" He turned towards the stairs, but Lily reached out and grabbed his arm, turning him back.

                "I don't believe you." She countered. Her hand was still on his arm, making sure he wouldn't leave. "Give me an answer…" Pleading, she let go of him.

                Sark sighed and bowed his head in defeat. Bringing his head back up he looked her straight in the eyes. "You know why." He spun around and climbed up the stairs, leaving Lily standing there and staring.

                Lily continued to look up the stairs and then turned around. She still had her jacket on, so she grabbed her car keys and went out.

                It took her longer then usual to get to 'La Vie'. "Hey, Emma!" Lily called when she got inside.

                "What are you doing here?" Emma gave her friend a hug.

                "Needed to get far from Sark." Lily told her and kept her mouth shut as she walked to were it was a little quieter.

                "Is he getting on your nerves?" Emma questioned her.

                Lily started to think. He wasn't on her nerves, really. He was more on her mind.

_Have you ever prayed the day would come_

_You'd hear them say they feel it too_

_Did you ever love someone_

_Who never knew_

                "No, he's not on my nerves…" Lily looked down at her hands. "He's on my mind… all the time and I don't know why." She looked confused and broken down.

                "Really?" Emma looked at Lily as if she was crazy. "You two hate each other…"

                "I know… but he gives me these looks that make me think he doesn't hate me." She stopped short and looked at Emma. "And I don't hate him."

                "You sound as if you're in love." Emma smiled.

                "No." Lily snapped. "I'm not in love with Sark, Sean." She said his first name as if it was different.

                "Yeah you are…"

                "I gotta go." Lily stood up and went out side. Her car felt cold inside and she tugged her jacket as she started it.

_And if_

_You did_

_Well you know I'd understand_

_I could_

_I would_

_More then anybody can_

_                "I'm not." Lily whispered as she stopped the car right before a bridge. She stepped out of the car and walked onto the bridge. There weren't any cars, so she walked over to the middle._

                Leaning over to look at the water, she sighed.

_Did you ever love somebody_

_So much that the earth moved_

_Did you ever love somebody_

_Even though it hurt to_

                Her face reflected in the water and she looked closely. She wasn't in love. This wasn't love. Lust maybe, but not love.

                "So why do I feel so bad?" Lily questioned herself.

                _God, maybe I am. Ever since he got back from Taipei she's been like this. Every little thing that he's done has made her imagine. From when he smiled at her to when he kissed her._

                _I kissed back. Lily smirked and got back in her car. __Maybe… no. She shook her head, a few tears falling out._

_Did you ever love somebody_

_Nothing else your heart could do_

_Did you ever love somebody_

_Like I love you_

                Lily pulled the car into the driveway and got out. As she opened the door she realized that the tears were still on her cheeks. _Whatever._

_                She looked up and noticed that Sark was standing there, jacket on as if he was going to leave._

                _He's not going anywhere._

                Lily moved forwards as Sark walked down the steps.

                Once she was close enough to touch him, she put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled his lips down to hers.

                Sweets… that's what he tasted like. That and coffee. Her top two favorite things in the world.

                She'd have to add kissing him to the top of that list.

_ Like I love you_

                They never noticed the rain…

_ Like I love you_


End file.
